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Macandria
Macandria is the main setting of the Shadows of Chaos stories [[Garden|''Garden and]] [[Exodus|''Exodus]]. It is an empire with aspects of a republic, and is divided into several culturally distinct provinces. PROVINCE MACANDER Demonym: Macanderite, Macandrian Capital: Macander City Population: 33,000,000 Ruler(s): Emperor Almius Aurelius, The Senate Language(s): Macandrio-Galdienese Assimilated: ME1 Main Religion(s): Many faiths have a heavy presence here, but the Imperial Temple has a slight majority. Climate: Temperate, Steppes Lore: Named after the legendary founder himself, Macander is the capital of the entire Macandrian Empire and the hub of its business. Over the past 509 years since its founding, the population has transformed from a fairly homogeneous one to a cosmopolitan melting pot—giving a home to not only the other races of the Empire, but to many from beyond the borders. In marketplaces and shipping ports especially, cultures blend. While predominantly Macandrio-Galdienese, foreign influences are clear upon examination of products sold, clothing, religious practices, architecture, cuisine, and even the tactics and equipment of the Imperial Guard. Before the founding of the Empire, Province Macander was a collection of warring city-states and their surrounding countryside. The people of the future province had suffered the attrition of over a century of uninterrupted warfare, fleeting alliances, and civil unrest. The most common legend tells of an always-masked, unaffiliated military commander known simply as The General who led an elite troop of one hundred warriors—the Myrmidons—to conquer the warring city-states, recruiting from enemy ranks as he marched across the future province. Records and witness accounts suggest that the Myrmidons did not number one hundred men, but more likely a number around a thousand men—still significantly less than the average city-state’s army at the time. Upon uniting the city-states under his flag, The General unmasked himself and revealed his name—Macander—before founding a city around his old fortress that would become the capital of his Empire. According to the Imperial Temple, the god of justice—Naliar—came to a pauper named Alba in the form of a man and impregnated her with a blessed child whom Naliar promised would one day unite the warring city-states and bring a long-lasting peace to the land; in the tale Alba names the blessed child Macander. The tale also explains the myrmidons as being called upon to serve Macander’s cause via divine visions, and claims that Macander’s blessed blood flows in the veins of his royal heirs to this day. PROVINCE GALDIENS Demonym: Galdienese Capital: Urbs Soli Population: 29,000,000 Ruler(s): Governer Cassius Quaenu Language(s): Macandrio-Galdienese Assimilated: ME16 Main Religion(s): Orthodox Temple, Imperial Temple Climate: Mediterranean Lore: Galdiens, culturally, holds much in common with Macander, but it has resisted foreign influence more than the capital province. Its cities today reflect the cities of Macander half-a-millennium ago. While the Galdienese do indeed hold a more conservative general attitude toward outsiders, they are by no means shut-off. Their population is still very cosmopolitan, but to a lesser extent than Macander’s. Before Province Macander ever united through conquest, Galdiens had formed a confederacy to fight the invasions of the Shenanyan Empire which occurred from about PME650-PME450. This unity of the confederacy has become an essential part of their cultural attitude, which is best reflected in the legend of how they ended the last Shenanyan invasion. The story tells of a vast Shenanyan fleet which surrounded, outgunned, and outnumbered the quickly-sinking Galdienese fleet. The Shenanyan had captured or destroyed all of their enemy’s ships save one. The captain of this lone vessel, who was said to have an ancestor from each of the cities of the confederacy, maneuvered it as it took heavy fire so that it would be as close as it could be to the Shenanyan God-Emperor’s ship. As the Galdiense ship made it into boarding range, it succumbed to its damage and sank, but not before the “Captain of Many Bloods” jumped across main decks and, filled with the “Blessing of Unity”, sprinted toward the exposed emperor. As arrows and blades hit him, cutting and bleeding him, the captain ignored the pain until he was able to drive his own dagger into the Shenanyan leader’s heart. Upon delivering the fatal blow, the captain died, but his killing so filled the Shenanyan sailors and soldiers with fear, having believed their emperor immortal, that they abandoned their conquest and never returned. Centuries later, another legend—with two main versions—tells of the short Macandrian conquest of Galdiens. Both versions agree that a Macandrian army besieged the Galdienese stronghold of Fort Axens on the isthmus separating the two future provinces after the Galdienese had attempted to assassinate Emperor Macander with an extremely powerful poison given to the Chief Archon of the Galdienese ruling council by one of two gods (which one depending on the version told). Both versions also agree that a powerful Macandrian army which had come to reinforce the starving besiegers managed to drive the soldiers from Fort Axens, allowing Macandrian troops to slip into Galdiens and overwhelm the confederacy. One version—the Macandrian (and Imperial Temple) version—claims that the poison given to the Chief Archon had been given by Xaos, the dark god, and that Macander survived the poisoning thanks to divine intervention on Naliar’s behalf. It also claims that the Galdienese at Fort Axens routed upon confirming the supposedly dead Macander’s presence on the battlefield. Another version—the Galdienese (and Orthodox Temple) version—claims that the poison was given to the Chief Archon by Naliar so that the tyrant-conqueror Macander could be killed and a war be prevented. Concerning the routing at Fort Axens, this version explains that the Macandrians had given The General’s famed armor and given it to a look-a-like so that they could fool the Galdienese into believing they were up against immortality. The cowardly soldiers at Axens ran from battle despite the orders of their commanders, allowing the Macandrian to pour into and overwhelm Galdiens. PROVINCE THUR Demonym: Thuric, Thurite Capital: Thurheimr Population: 14,000,000 Ruler(s): Governor Kung Thyrdrasr Strong-Head son of Kung Liefr Language(s): Thuric, Laaxoese, Macandrio-Galdienese Assimilated: ME90 Main Religion(s): Thyric Temple, Laaxoese Astrology Climate: Temperate, Boreal, Tundra Lore: Named after Thyr, the Thuric word for Naliar, the province of Thur has over millennia bred themselves into a traditional, distinct, and strict caste system, which now finds itself under pressure from the liberal imperial influence. At the top of the caste system are the Kungs, who have ruled Thur as kings in historical times and now rule it as governors. Below them are the noblemen and their female equals, the Valkyrje—who act both as high priestesses and elite warriors, not unlike the knights of Macandria and Galdiens. Below the nobles and Valkyrje are the warrior-hunters; then the merchants, and below them are the Dwarves—bred short, but strong so that they may serve as the ideal miners. Below the dwarves are the peons—the farm-owners, fishers, lumberjacks, crafters. Work done not even by peons is done by Laaxoese Elf slaves. An ancient contract made between the Laaxoese and Thurites states that in order to prevent an invasion from Thur the Laaxoese must relinquish a portion of their population every twenty years to the Thuric slave collectors for distribution throughout Thur. Unlike most other cultures on Tellus, Thuric villages are not a collection of structures, but instead consist of a single longhouse with many rooms and several stories both above and below ground. These longhouses are sometimes surrounded by farms, but most crops are grown on plantations owned by merchant-caste owners and are worked by a mix of peons and/or slaves. Thuric cities consist of several longhouses, noble manors, temples, open-air markets, and a palace in proximity. The origins of Thur and their caste system are ancient, and thus shrouded in mystery. However, their presence in the present-day empire pre-dates the arrival of the proto-Macandrio-Galdienese peoples from the far west. By the time the earlier records of Thuric culture had been recorded, the caste system had been long established. However, thousands of years of tradition are now, perhaps for the first time ever, beginning to change with the influx of Macandrian influence. That said, because of the conditions under which Thur had been conquered, the province has been able to retain its customs to a greater degree than the others of the empire. During the conquest, imperial troops crushed all Thuric resistance with ease when it decided to annex the kingdom. However, upon reaching the mountains in the center of the future province, the previous chain of victories turned into a long-lasting stalemate as the Thurites bottle-necked the invaders. After several years of failing to gain any significant ground using conventional means, Macandria established, in secret, a guild of skilled assassins and spies who directly served the emperor. These clandestine imperial agents sabotaged Thuric nobles, killed their king, and strengthened bands of rebellious Laaxoese. Unable to deal with this new style of warfare, Thur offered a conditional surrender to the empire, which after some negotiation, allowed Thur to continue its ancient traditions in exchange for immediate demilitarization and the paying of a regular tribute to Macandria. PROVINCE DRACONIA Demonym: Draconian, Drake Capital: Port Gaius Population: 1,500,000 Ruler(s): Governor Servius Marcanus Language(s): Nareaaigi, Ntar’jori, Eguzke, Macandrio-Galdienese Assimilated: ME163 Main Religion(s): Dragon Worship, Nareaaigi-Thyric Temple, Eguzke Ancestor Worship Climate: Boreal, Temperate, Steppes Lore: Millennia ago, the Drakes lived as cattle, captured by a now extinct race of large lizard-like sapients known as Dragons. Because the Dragons lived in complex tunnel systems built under most of modern-day Draconia, so did their cattle. According to Thuric and some (mainly Nareaaigi) Draconian legends, the Dragons had taken a Thuric princess as cattle and incited the anger of Thyr, so He blessed the five hundred Valkyres of his choosing and they set out to massacre all Dragons. Another (the Ntar’jori) version claims that Thur invaded out of greed and that they had made a deal with the evil god Zjo’ur (Xaos) to poison the grand dragon Ntar (Naliar) so that he could not defend his people against the Valkyrjes. Both versions agree that amongst the cattle, two groups formed upon hearing of the Thuric invasion—the Nareaaigi who sided with the Valkyrjes viewing the Dragons as sadistic oppressors, and the Ntar’jori who sided with their Dragon masters, viewing them as guardians shielding them from the hardships of life that surface-dwellers had to face. The Valkyrjes and the Nareaaigi joined forces to kill off the Dragons, whose numbers had already dwindled from years of plague. After they succeeded the Nareaaigi left the tunnels and settled on the surface, using the bones of their former captors to construct their settlements. The Ntar’jori remained underground, expanding beyond their “ranches” and into the vast ruins and ritually drinking their blood which, as a side-effect, granted them biological immortality. They saw themselves as the inheritors of their forefathers’, the Dragons’, kingdom. Nareaaigi live and die, in a biological sense, as most other humans do. Ntar’jori are born as other humans are, but they do not grow weak with old age. Instead of dying, they transform into “were-dragons” more commonly referred to as Waircs. The majority of Ntar’jori commit ritual suicide once they show the first signs of transformation (usually at about fifty years old), but those who choose not to die, escape into the unexplored, dark areas of the ruins and live eternally as the uncontrollably aggressive and mindless Waircs. The Southern part of the province is home to a significant Eguzke populace. Before Imperial Rule outlawed the practice of slavery twenty years ago, the Nareaaigi would capture many Eguzke for slave labor. The Empire conquered the province after a bloody civil war. PROVINCE EGUZKE Demonym: Eguzke Capital: Urbs Aecuscorum Population: 750,000 Ruler(s): Governor Gaius Miles Language(s): Eguzke, Macandrio-Galdienese Assimilated: ME248 Main Religion(s): Eguzke Ancestor Worship, Imperial Temple, Artisanic Cult Climate: Steppes Lore: The origins of the Eguzke people are unknown as they have occupied the steppes since pre-historical times, perhaps even before the Thurites occupied their current lands. Eguzke traditions are, hence, deep-rooted. The Eguzke are semi-nomadic, switching between three spots every year to allow pasture to regrow. They have lived in collections of yurts—villages—and have herded cattle, goats, and sheep for aeons. These villages consist of about two hundred members on average, but they all part of one of four greater tribes, which gather villages together anually (just before the beginning of winter) in a tribal festival. Unlike most other imperial cultures, Eguzke do not eat alone or in family groups but eat the majority of their meals as villages, enjoying a single daily feast in the morning and very small dinner at night. Since the empire took over Eguzke, many tribes’ people have left their homes in favor of the comforts of Macandrio-Galdienese culture. Imperial towns have popped up all over the steppes, especially in resource-rich areas. However, most Eguzke hold a belief that civilization is a corrupting force and continue to live as their ancestors had. The Eguzke are highly conservative and refuse to change most of their traditions, but they also are, unlike other conservatives in Macandria, far more prone to tolerance and hospitality when confronted with foreign visitors. Macandria did not conquer Eguzke, rather they capitulated to them. In exchange for a regular tribute from the Eguzke, the Macandrians would protect them from Ahzyyn invaders who had begun to raid tribes for slave-labor and resources during their war with Macandria. To this day, the Macandrians protect the Eguzke way of life from violent invasion. PROVINCE AHZYYN Demonym: Ahzyyn Capital: Atunwyr Population: 750,000 Ruler(s): Governor Khan Irbadaz Ryddiy of Atunwyr Language(s): Ahzyyn Assimilated: ME251 Main Religion(s): Temple of the Stone Climate: Savannah, Swamp, Desert, Mountain Lore: A large group of Laaxoese Elves, who had escaped and fled south from their slavery in Thur, settled amongst the native nomads in the savannahs and deserts of the modern day Ahzyyn lands, which extend beyond the province. Over many generations the Elves and natives melded into one as they both helped each other survive the harsh environments. The nomads taught the Laaxoese where to find food and water in the desert, and the Laaxoese taught the nomads the secrets of agriculture and husbandry; not to mention the sharing of values and ideas between the two peoples. Over the next two thousand years, this new combined culture—known as the Ahzyyn—developed into a more settled civilization after the discovery of a vast system of underground rivers that flowed not far beneath the surface—the under-river. The Ahzyyn built wells in the areas of the under-river nearest the surface and around these wells small farming villages emerged. The waters of the under-river, however, had a secondary affect on those who drank it. Over generations, a few select Ahzyyn grew a natural magical affinity for stone—from grains of sand to mountains of granite. Around this affinity the chief Ahzyyn religion, the Temple of the Stone, developed. They grew to worship stone and Naliar as Golem, the eldest stone. In honor of Golem, the Ahzyyn built near the wells great stone pyramids, a thousand feet tall, and carved into them openings and chambers which would serve as the houses, plazas, shops, and corridors of the modern Ahzyyn pyramid-cities (Wyr). Each Wyr is also surrounded by hamlets and agricultural settlements. Despite a bloody and costly series of battles, the Empire eventually gained the modern province of Ahzyyn through conquest. After attempting to conquer all of the Ahzyyn Khanates, they settled for a handful after meeting a stalemate and signing a peace treaty with their enemies. The governor of Province Ahzyyn is the Khan voted into the office by a committee of the other Khans and approved by the emperor of Macandria. Category:Browse Category:Lore